U.S. citizens will use the mobile networks to access the Internet more than wireline networks by 2015 according to IDC’s Worldwide New Media Market Model, 1H11 report which was released on Monday. Smartphone and tablet sales are expected to be the driving catalyst for the growth of mobile Internet use, which IDC predicts will increase 16.6% between 2010 and 2015. Internet usage in Western Europe and Japan is expected to follow a similar trend. IDC suggested the total number of worldwide Internet users will grow from 2 billion in 2010 to 2.7 billion in 2015, when IDC predicts 40% of the global population will have access to the Internet. “Forget what we have taken for granted on how consumers use the Internet,” said Karsten Weide, research vice president, Media and Entertainment. “Soon, more users will access the Web using mobile devices than using PCs, and it’s going to make the Internet a very different place.” Read on for the full release from IDC. More →

4G is a hot topic here on BGR and as such, we’ve likely become more numb than we should when it comes to advertised data speeds. We’re so used to seeing “theoretical limits” that are so far from reality we just chuckle and move along. The wireline broadband industry, however, is a different beast. According to a study recently conducted by the Federal Communications Commission, major broadband Internet service provides in the U.S. deliver data speeds that are generally between 80% and 90% of the speeds they advertise. The Associated Press reports that the FCC’s study measured data speeds delivered to thousands of U.S. broadband subscribers this past March from 13 of the nation’s top ISPs including Time Warner, Comcast, AT&T and Verizon. The three most popular wired broadband technologies were covered by the study — DSL, cable and fiber — and data rates were said to have been close to the advertised speeds during both peak and off-peak times. The AP notes that the FCC’s study didn’t delve into speeds delivered by wireless data services, which is a study we would love to see. More →

AT&T reported its second quarter results on Thursday. The company’s consolidated revenues were $31.5 billion, up 2.2% ($680 million) from the same quarter last year. AT&T’s wireless, wireline data and managed services were responsible for 76% of those revenues, and that figure is growing at a rate of 8.3% year-over-year. AT&T Mobility added a total of 1.1 million subscribers during the quarter, including 331,000 net postpaid adds, and it now serves a total of 98.6 million subscribers. The carrier also noted that it had its best-ever second quarter for smartphone sales: it sold 5.6 million total smartphones, up 43% year-over-year. AT&T activated 3.6 million iPhones during the quarter, more than half of the smartphones sold, and said that nearly 25% of the iPhone activations were from new subscribers. AT&T also noted that its planned acquisition of T-Mobile is still on track for closure during the first quarter of next year. Read on for the full press release.More →

In response to last week’s tsunami, AT&T has announced that its wireless customers, in the United States and Puerto Rico, can call or text Japan for free through March 31st. AT&T has also said it will not charge its wireless postpaid customers for international long distance calls or texts to Japan that were placed after March 11th. Similarly, AT&T wireline customers can seek credit for up to 60 minutes of direct calls placed to Japan during the March 11th to March 31st time period. Anyone who wishes to donate $10 to the Red Cross can do so by texting “redcross” to 90999. More →

We’re still waiting for an official comment from the Communications Workers of America union but we’ve received a few tips this morning from people claiming to have seen AT&T workers organizing with picket signs. The CWA recently worked with AT&T to resolve contract disputes for AT&T Mobility workers, a story that was widely covered here. AT&T isn’t out of the woods with the union just yet however, as its contracts with wire-line workers in many regions are due to expire on April 4th. Negotiations began on February 24th and have thus far not resolved disputes primarily surrounding health care and other benefits. AT&T’s wire-line business is currently sliding and as such, workers are also seeking the ability to move into new jobs within AT&T as they are created.

This past Monday, workers voted to give the union authorization to call a strike so it is possible a strike is on. With contracts not set to expire for over a week however, the timing would certainly be a bit odd. A strike would affect approximately 90,000 workers according to the CWA.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

UPDATE: We’ve received word from the CWA — contract negotiations are indeed ongoing and a strike has not been called. There is some informational picketing and leafleting going on in various areas merely to show support for the ongoing negotiations.